Why SMS Works Better Than Email for Amber Work Follow Up

When it comes to following up amber work, one of the most common questions is not about timing or frequency.

It is about channel.

Should follow up be sent by email, or by text message?

Both have their place, but for time-sensitive vehicle advisories, SMS consistently performs better.

The difference is not about technology

This is not a question of modern versus outdated tools.

Email is excellent for:

• Receipts
• Reports
• Detailed explanations
• Long-form communication

Amber follow up requires something different.

It needs to be:

• Seen quickly
• Understood instantly
• Easy to respond to

This is where SMS has a clear advantage.

SMS messages are almost always seen

Industry research consistently shows that SMS messages have open rates of around 95–98%, often within minutes of being received.

Email open rates, by comparison, typically sit between 20–30%, and often much lower for non-urgent messages.

This means:

• Most SMS messages are read
• Many emails are never opened at all

For [amber work](/), unread messages are the same as no follow up.

Speed matters for follow up

Studies show that the majority of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes.

Emails, even when opened, are often read hours or days later, if at all.

Amber work follow up is most effective when it:

• Arrives close to the expected timeframe
• Is seen without delay
• Feels relevant in the moment

SMS aligns naturally with this behaviour.

SMS feels appropriate for short reminders

Amber follow up messages are usually short by design.

They reference:

• A specific advisory
• A previously discussed timeframe
• A simple next step

SMS suits this format.

Email often feels disproportionate for a brief reminder, especially when it sits alongside newsletters, promotions, and automated notifications.

Customers are more likely to notice and trust a short, relevant text.

Response rates are higher with SMS

SMS consistently generates higher response rates than email.

Industry averages suggest SMS response rates of 30–45%, compared to 5–10% for email in similar reminder scenarios.

This does not mean customers feel pressured.

It means:

• The message was seen
• The message was understood
• Responding felt easy

Even a simple "Yes", "Not yet", or "Please call me" is enough to move the conversation forward.

SMS reduces accidental neglect

One of the biggest reasons amber work goes unconverted is not rejection.

It is missed communication.

Emails are:

• Filtered
• Buried
• Forgotten

SMS sits in a different mental category.

It is harder to ignore unintentionally.

This reduces the number of advisories lost simply because the message was never seen.

Why SMS should be limited and deliberate

Using SMS does not mean sending more messages.

In fact, restraint matters more with text.

Effective SMS follow up is:

• Timed to when the work was discussed
• Clear and specific
• Limited in number
• Stopped once the process is complete

This keeps messages professional and expected, rather than intrusive.

A final thought

Choosing SMS over email is not about chasing customers.

It is about respecting attention.

For amber work follow up, the goal is not to persuade, but to ensure the reminder is actually received, understood, and acted on if the customer wishes to proceed.

SMS simply does this more reliably.

---

Discover how [amber follow up](/) can improve customer engagement and conversion rates through the right communication channel.